- The English Cricket board abandoned the Pakistan tour by saying that “the mental and physical well-being of our players and support staff remains our highest priority.”
- The tours by Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka rekindled the hopes among Pakistani masses anent the cricket revival at home; however, all of their hopes now stand quashed.
- Pakistan should take measures to better security conditions at home, rather than embarking on a blaming spree for the tour cancellation
Pakistan’s unabated love for terrorism is taking a heavy toll on the prospects of cricket getting revived in the country after years of obsolescence. After New Zealand, England also has decided to abandon the upcoming tour of its men’s and women’s cricket teams to Pakistan, citing security reasons.
The ECB announces cancellation of the Pakistan tour
“The ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) board convened this weekend to discuss these extra England women’s and men’s games in Pakistan and we can confirm that the board has reluctantly decided to withdraw both teams from the October trip,” the ECB said in a statement. “The mental and physical well-being of our players and support staff remains our highest priority and this is even more critical given the times we are currently living in”, the English cricket board added.
The minuscule success and ensuing disaster
Following a terrorist attack on the bus carrying Sri Lankan players in Lahore in 2009, nations worldwide have refrained from playing cricket in the country.
Though Pakistan has been trying to court several nations to hold cricket matches in the country, it only succeeded in getting minuscule success. Pakistan, however, managed to host Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka in recent months. The two tours rekindled the hopes among Pakistani masses anent the cricket revival at home; however, all of their hopes now stand quashed.
Read More: New Zealand deals a huge blow to Pakistan’s hope of reviving cricket at home
Pakistan’s love for terrorism at the core of Pakistan’s cricket problem
The Taliban’s return to the fray in Afghanistan has set the entire region on fire. With infighting breaking out among factions within the Taliban, the security situation in the region has become more delicate than ever. For Pakistan, the situation is worse. Pakistan has brazenly thrown its weight behind the militant group currently in power in Kabul that has aggravated the security concerns in the country.
Pakistan’s incessant support for terrorists operating inside and outside of its territories in South Asia and beyond has rendered Pakistan a fragile state. Its security apparatus is flawed, the intelligence agencies are compromised, and the government is in bed with extremists. Hence, playing in Pakistan is nothing short of a matter of life and death for foreign players.
While Pakistan has resorted to diplomatic offense against the British and Kiwis, it will further tarnish Pakistan’s image in the world. Instead of addressing the fragile security situation at home, Pakistan is hovering around like a headless chicken to garner support from the International Cricket Council. On the other hand, it is blaming England and New Zealand for jeopardizing the nation’s cricket ambitions.
Read More: Pakistani cricketers cry foul as New Zealand treats them like pariahs
“Life First”, England’s message to Pakistan
By canceling its upcoming tour to Pakistan, England and New Zealand have sent out a clear message to the world and Islamabad: security assurance is paramount for any foreign country seeking to play inside Pakistan. Pakistan should take measures to better security conditions at home, rather than embarking on a blaming spree for the tour cancellation. It must shed off its love for terrorists to revive the sport in the country.
